Improvement in electric clocks



L. BRADLEY. ELEOTRIG CLOCK.

No. 95,310. Patented Sept. 28, 1869.

flaw/53 w.

when

waited first-rs LEVERETT BRADLEY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

Letters Patent No. 95,310, dated Sqrlcmber 28, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRIC CLOCKS.

The Schedule referred to in those Letters Patent and making part of the same,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Lnvsns'rr BRADLEY, of Jersoy City, in the county. of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, have invented a. new and useful Improvement in Electric Clocks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing, form ng part of this specificatiom'and which represents an interior view, parallel to their dials, of a governing-clock, operated by a spring or weight, and secondary clock, under control or action by electricity of the governing-clock.

My invention has for its object the establishing and maintaining of an isoohronous working of any number of clocks, at greater or less distances apart,

ity and uncertainty have heretofore prevailed, owing to certain imperfections which have existed in closing thecircuit, by the action of the pendulum of the governing-clock toward or at the close of each or its vibrations, when the momentum of the pendulum, hung to vibrate in a vertical plane, is checked orretarded, as it -were, which, occurring at the very period its power is required to close the circuit, coupled with a certain irregular or tremulous action of the circuitclosing device or devices, as super-induced by the electric current, causes fecbleness or want of uniformity, that fails to produce a regular isochronous action,

This difliculty I entirely obviate by the combination, with a rotating circuit-closer, operated by the governing-clock, of a conical pendulum, which, having a revolying, as contradistinguislied from-a straight or vibrating action, retains its power or momentum to close the circuit, and, operating in connection with the rotating circuit-closer, feels or communicates no shock or check, but etiects the closing of thecircuit in a finn and positive manner, free from any interruption by trornulous action.

Also, the invention consists in a certain combination of pawls, for insuring regularity in the movement of the secondary clock or clocks, and to prevent any overlcaping, as well as back-action of the driving-wheel or wheels, worked by the swinging armature or armatures of said clock or clocks, and thereby further contributin'g to establish a perfect isoclrronous action;

Referring to the accompanying drawing- A represents a clock, which is the governing one, and which, so for as its works generally are concerned, may he of ordinary construct-ion.

Instead, however, of a pendulum being used-that vibrates in a vertical plane, I use what is known as a dips into or comes in contact with, as it passes, a

globule of mercury, (1, contained in a wooden or insuiating-trough, E, and. which has one of thewires e of a battery in cor'rtact with it, while the other wire f, which connects with the opposite pole of the battery, is coiled, to form'an electro-magnct or magnets, F, andis in connection, at its one cnd,lwith the metallic fi'ar'ne-work of the clock A,

Thus, it will be seen that as the circuit-closer D, under the control of the pendulum B, touches atregular intervals, once duringeach rotation of it, the globule of mercury d, it closes the circuit, and, through the electro-magnets F, serves to operate in the one or working-direction, to a secondary clock, G, a soft-iron armature, H, that swings on a centre at g.

- This secondary clock G may, of course, be situated at any desired distance from the primary or governingclock A, that may have its arbor 0 provided, or extended. and provided with any number of circuitclosers 1), preferably arranged to come in contact in consecutive ,order, so as to distribute circuit-closing strain or efi'ort on the primary clock, with globules of mercury, contained in suitable insulatirig-troughs, for operating in like rnauner, through similarjor suitable battery-connections and elcc-tr'o-magnets, any number of secondary clocks situated at any desired distance from the single governing-clock, so as to maintain an isochronons action of a multiplicity of clocks.

I do not restrict myself to using mercury as the metallic conductor for closing the circuit, as it is quite practicable to employ a positive or frictional contact of the circuitcloscr with a proper]y-constrnctcd point to the wire thatcstablishcs or connects with the one pole of the battery, by reason of the combination of the rotating circuit-closer with the revolving or conic'al pendulum, which retains its power or momentum in a uniform manner throughout its entire swing or action, and has a force. that, in connection with the revolving motion of the circuit-closer, secures it from being interfered with or affected bv the temporary work of closing the circuit.

The armature H of the secondary clock G is drawn back, after the circuit is broken, by a spring, it, against an adjustable stop, 'i.

This armature is made to operate the ringers on the dial of the clock (each time the circuit is closed) the necessary distance to secure an isochronous. action with the primary or governing clock, by means of a feeding-pawl; I, pivoted to an arm, 7:, of the armature, and star-wheel J, that is driven by said pawl.

K is a stop-pawl to the wheel J, to restrain it from working back in or by the return-stroke of the feeding-pawl I.

Connected with this stop-pawl K, by a spring, on, is another locking or check-pawl, L, pivoted as at-n, and under control of an adjustable stop, 1, attached to'the arm k of the armature, in order that when said armature is drawn forward by the electromagnets, to perform its feeding-stroke to the wheel J, the pawl L is worked out of gear with said wheel, so as not to interfere with the motion given to the latter by the feedingpawl I; but as the latter commences its back-stroke, said pawl L, by the action of the spring m, shoots into lock wit-lithe wheel, and prevents it from overleaping its feed; also, in connection with the st0ppaw1 K, es-

' tablishes a lock of the wheel I, and restrains it, or the fingers operated by it, from being worked in either way, either accidentally or otherwise.

This arrangement or combination of pawls materially contributes to secure a perfect isoehronous action, and prevents tampering.

What is here claimed, and Letters Patent, is

I. The combination of one or more rotating circuit closers D with the coniml pendnhnn B of the primary or governing-clock A, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the wheel J and annature H, carrying the operating-pawl 1, of the pawls L K and spring an, essentially as and for the purpose or purposes herein set forth.

L. BRADLEY.

desired to be secured by Witnesses:

FRED. HAYNES, J. W. COOMBS. 

